Flow-starting means for catchup bottles



May 12,- 1964 L. HEBERT 3, 77

FLOW-STARTING MEANS FOR CATCHUP BOTTLES I Filed April 20, 1962 Leo Hebert INVENTOR.

BY Zmv United States Patent Filed Apr. 2%, 1962, Ser. No. 139,105 1 Claim. ca. 222-545 One of the major problems involved in the use of thinnecked or throated bottles as containers for thick or viscous fluids is the difliculty involved in obtaining a smooth flow of the fluid from the container, especially upon first opening the container. Probably the best illustration of the problem is the common catchup bottle which, upon first opening the bottle, requires a considerable amount of vibrating or banging of the bottle so as to cause the catchup therein to flow.

Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is the provision of a means whereby a viscous fluid will readily flow from a narrow necked container such as a standard catchup bottle.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a separate sealed container located within the neck of a fluid container with the smaller container containing the same fluid as the larger container thereby enabling the dispensing of a single portion of the fluid while at the same time providing for the ready flowing of the fluid Within the larger container.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a flexible extending tab on the smaller container or cup so as to allow for the easy removal of the cup.

Also, an object of the present invention is the provision of an extending flexible tab on the cup which is capable of conforming to the threaded upper end of a bottle whereby a conventional bottle cap can be used to both seal the bottle and secure the cup in position.

Additionally, an object of the present invention is the provision of a simple and inexpensive means whereby easy flowing of a viscous material is etfectively produced.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the the upper end of a fluid bottle and the flow starting means of the present invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, ref erence numeral generally designates a container for a thick or viscous fluid 12, such as for example catchup. The container 10 includes a narrow elongated neck or throat 14 at its upper end provided with a threaded surface 16 having threads 13 thereon and a circular flange or stop ring 29 positioned below the threads 18. The fluid container or bottle 10 is provided with a conventional cap means 22 having a flat top 24 and a downward extending side flange 26 terminating in an inwardly bent edge 28 which is adapted to threadedly engage the threads 18 for securing the cap 22 to the threaded end 16 on the neck 14 of the bottle 10 thereby sealing the bottle 10. It will be noted that downward movement of the cap means 22 is limited by the stop means 20.

The flow starting means of the present invention is generally referred to by reference numeral 30 and consists Patented May 12, 1964 of a cup means 32 having a generally cylindrical body portion 34 provided with a closed lower end 36, an open upper end 38, and a flexible tab generally formed integral with the cylindrical body portion 34 and extending outwardly therefrom. This flexible tab is referred to by reference numeral 40. A circumferential groove 42 is provided within the upper open end 38 of the cylindrical portion 34 and is adapted to removably receive a cover means 44 having a small extending tab 46 thereon.

The cup means 32 will contain the same fluid 12 as contained in the bottle 10, such fluid being preferably catchup. The cup 32 can be formed of polyethylene or any other suitable material with the extending tab 40 sufficiently flexible so as not to interfere with the normal operation of the sealing cap 22 in the sealing of the bottle 10 with the cup 32 located therein. As is readily apparent, the body portion 34 of the cup 32 is of a diameter so as to be slidable through the opening 48 of the neck 14, whereby the cup 32 can be easily and quickly removed so as to allow easy access to the contents of both the cup 32 and the bottle 10.

From the foregoing, the manner in which the flowstarting means of the present invention operates is considered to be readily apparent. During the initial filling of the catchup bottle the upper level is positioned approximately 1%, to 1 /2 inches below the top of the bottle, and a cup also containing catchup is slidably inserted within the empty upper portion of the catchup bottle. This cup is provided with a closure means so as to seal the catchup therein, and further, the cup is additionally provided with an extending flexible tab which facilitates the removal of the cup from the bottle. The flexibility of the extending tab enables the bottle cap to be secured to the upper end of the bottle in a conventional manner without the necessity of making any additional provisions for the extending tab. When the cup is removed, an air space of approximately 1% inches to 1 /2 inches is provided so that upon inverting the bottle space is available for the catchup or other viscous fluid to flow into without obstructing the movement of the contained air toward the bottom of the bottle. It will also be noted that this space allows the fluid to flow without packing, bridging or vacuum locking in the neck of the bottle. Additionally, attention is directed to the fact that in the majority of cases, catchup is vacuum packed, and as such, upon the removal of the cup means of the present invention, a suction effect will be produced on the upper surface of the catchup Y within the bottle, such effect tending to facilitate the smooth flowing of the catchup.

The flow-starting means of the present invention is additionally considered significant in that it enables a maximum amount of catchup to be contained while avoidthe problems generally present in tightly packed containers. It will also be noted that the cup means of the present invention provides a convenient and sanitary means of providing an individual serving of catchup without the necessity of pouring the catchup from the main skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention, as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

In combination with a container having a neck with an open outer end, a cup shaped so as to generally conform to the interior of the container neck, said cup being received within the container neck with the upper end or" the cup generally in the same planewith the upper end of the container neck, said cup having a closed lower end and an open upper end so as to form a receptacle, a cup cover entirely received Within and removably sealing the upper open end of the cup, a flexible tab fixed to the upper end of the cup and extending outwardly therefrom into overlapping relationship to the exterior of the container neck, and a separate container cap engaged over References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,026,925 Whitney Jan. 7, 1936 3,057,503 Salzmann Oct. 9, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS,

268,348 Switzerland Aug. 16, 1950 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A CONTAINER HAVING A NECK WITH AN OPEN OUTER END, A CUP SHAPED SO AS TO GENERALLY CONFORM TO THE INTERIOR OF THE CONTAINER NECK, SAID CUP BEING RECEIVED WITHIN THE CONTAINER NECK WITH THE UPPER END OF THE CUP GENERALLY IN THE SAME PLANE WITH THE UPPER END OF THE CONTAINER NECK, SAID CUP HAVING A CLOSED LOWER END AND AN OPEN UPPER END SO AS TO FORM A RECEPTACLE, A CUP COVER ENTIRELY RECEIVED WITHIN AND REMOVABLY SEALING THE UPPER OPEN END OF THE CUP, A FLEXIBLE TAB FIXED TO THE UPPER END OF THE CUP AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM INTO OVERLAPPING RELATIONSHIP TO THE EXTERIOR OF THE CON- 